Biology Test 13

Approximately 300 species and sub species of mammals are considered as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Red panda (Athurus fulgens) is an endangered species because it is facing a very high risk of extinction in near future.

In cryopreservation, plant materials are frozen at – 196^oC in the liquid nitrogen.

Nepenthes is an endangered species of plant. Rauwolfia, Rhododendron, Psilotum, Ophioglossum are some other endangered species of plants.

Habitat loss and fragmentation is the most important cause driving animals and plants to extinction. Due to various human activities, when large habitats are destructed, various animals are badly affected leading to population declines.

As compared to other reserves in the world, Sunderbans National Park has the largest tiger population. It also reserves the salt water crocodiles Gangetic dolphins, chitals, wild boars, rhesus-macaques, etc.

A biodiversity hot spot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is threatened with destruction. Initially, 25 biodiversity hot spots were identified but subsequently nine more have been added to the list bringing the total number of biodiversity hot spots in the world to 34.

Plant genes of endangered species are stored in gene bank, which is a collection of cloned DNA fragments representing the entire material of an organism.

Podophyllum is an Indian endangered flora. Its dried roots and rhizomes are used in chronic constipation and fumorous growth.

Out of the 25 hot spots of the world, two are found in India. These are Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas, and these extend to the neighboring countries also. These areas show high degree of endemism and area inhabited by a wide variety of flowering plants, swallow tailed butterflies, amphibians, reptiles and mammals.